Incentives linked to Dyson's axed electric car project will not be granted: Chee Hong Tat

GIVEN that Dyson has scrapped its plans to build electric vehicles in Singapore, any government incentives which might have been tied to that specific project will not be granted, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Chee Hong Tat said in response to a parliamentary question on Tuesday.

Because those investments have not been made, the associated incentives will not be granted, he stressed. But other projects by Dyson, which continue, may still be able to enjoy relevant incentives.

Mr Chee also noted that Dyson's cancellation of plans notwithstanding, other companies have expressed interest in developing smart mobility solutions here.

"They value our highly skilled workforce, our strengths in advanced technologies such as robotics and automation, and our strong intellectual property protection regime, and if I may add, our strong tripartite relationship," he said. "We will continue to work with these companies to harness new opportunities for Singapore, for our companies, for our workers."

Reiterating that Dyson's decision will not affect its presence and operations in Singapore - only 20 employees out of 1,200 were working on electric vehicles, and will be redeployed within the firm - Mr Chee noted that Dyson will continue to grow its core business here, including developing battery technology for consumer products and expanding research and development in areas such as sensors, robotics and artificial intelligence, "which will also support the development of a smart mobility ecosystem".